Falling
by jdejm
Summary: Once again 24 children are sent into the arena, how will it end this time. How has the capitol planned this one? One thing is for sure, only one will live to tell the trouth. - District four!   Rated T, because it is the hunger games.
1. Chapter 1

Here is the tribute form, please fill it out and give me some interesting characters to work with. And please post a few bloodbath characters or I will have to choose myself.  
I am not going to be one of those authors that leave a story behind, as long as you keep sending nice reviews and post nice comments. I`d also like you to tell me what I could do better

May the odds ever be in your favour. Happy 68th hunger games.

Tribute form:

Basic

District:

Gender:

Name:

Age:

Appearance and personality

Body (tall, short, limp, fat):

Hair (scruffy, spiky, silky, blond):

Face (eyes, high cheekbones, pointy nose):

Skin:

Personality (please more than three sentences):

Characteristics (do they walk in a funny way, do they scratch their cheek when they get nervous?) :

Clothes (what they wore at the reaping) :

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Hobbies:

What kind of people do they like? (Allies and romance):

Up for a romance? :

Relations and history:

Family:

Pets (optional):

Friends:

Childhood (how was it growing up? Were they trained, or did they work to get money?):

Games:

Relations to the games (hate it, love it):

Strategy:

Reaped or volunteered:

If volunteered, why?

Reaction to reaping volunteering:

Goodbyes:

Career, bloodbath, other:

Token:

Weapon of choice:

Chariot outfit (optional):

Interview outfit (optional):

Interview quote, what did they do during the interviews? :

Training days strategy:

Training score:

Want allies? :

Death:

What do they do the second they get into the arena? :

Anything else? :

Optional. Each one gives three extra points:

Stylist:

Name:

Gender:

Appearance and personality:

Escort:

Name:

Gender:

Appearance and personality:

Mentor:

Name:

Gender:

Appearance and personality:

Arena ideas:

Nature:

Mutts:

Traps:


	2. Tribute list

Gawd! I never had a review on a story that quickly!  
I`m still not sure of what I`m throwing myself into, so be supportive and I promise I will not quit without warning.

And please make up a bloodbath character or two. Remember, extra points!  
And I`d like some more in the age: 12, 13, 17 and 18. Getting kinda bored with the rest.  
And more mentors and stylists. If you see that a district is missing one feel free to throw in one:)

Here is the tribute list so far!  
(I`m including mentors, escorts and stylists. So you can go ahead and make up those to, if you don`t want to submit a tribute, or just want some points so you can be a sponsor)

District 1

Girl: Annie Cathe **(17)** _by AnnieTheHedgeCat12_

Boy: Matthew Roderick **(15)** _Ligtning4022_

Mentor/s: Gabe Beetoln **(M)** _by AnnieTheHedgeCat12_

Mentor2:

Stylist/s: Maura Hrekit **(F)** _by AnnieTheHedgeCat12_

Escort: Amelia Nichia **(F)** _by AnnieTheHedgeCat12_

District 2

Girl: HArmony Island **(18)** _by pie2278_

Boy:

Mentor1:

Mentor2:

Stylist/s:

Escort:

District 3

Girl: Meadow Morraine **(15)** _by mishalina_

Boy: Ember Passeri **(15)** _by mishalina_

Mentor/s: Rush Cloke **(M)** _by mishalina_

Stylist/s: Tulia **(F)** _by mishalina_

Escort: Glorain Voccia **(M)** _by mishalina_

District 4 

Girl: Jade Smali **(14)** by _jenna2468_

Boy: Tanner Fisc Jones II **(18)** _by Major Trouble_

Mentor/s:

Stylist/s:

Escort:

District 5

Girl: Amri Phriek **(16)** by _dolphinxxgirlxx_

Boy: JAy Island **(15)** _by pie2278_

Mentor/s: Jack Russell **(M)** _by dolphinxxgirlxx_

Stylist/s: Havian Gistro **(M)** _by dolphinxxgirlxx_

Escort: Leena Malee **(F)** _by dolphinxxgirlxx_

District 6

Girl: Athena Blackout **(14)** _by Idontlikeu2_

Boy: Alexander Hemp **(15)** _by Skywriter9_

Mentor/s: Kassie Prophets **(F)** _by Idontlikeu2_

Stylist/s: Dren **(F)** _by Idontlikeu2_

Escort: Chandler Robz **(M)** _by Idontlikeu2_

District 7

Girl: Kayton Liala Roys **(14)** _by Ginny Weasley23_

Boy: Ellink 'Link' Lamont **(15) **_by HelloPoppet123_

_Mentor/s: _Zus Ryaov **(M)**_by HelloPoppet123_

Stylist/s: Hertonia fladigaalpia **(M)** _by Ginny Weasley23_

Wreud Rayles **(F)**_by HelloPoppet123_  
  
Escort: Maggly Beans **(F)** _by HelloPoppet123_

District 8

Girl: Calico Hessian **(14) **_by Skywriter9_

Boy: Griffin Din **(16)** _by Major Trouble_

Mentor/s:

Stylist/s:

Escort:

District 9

Girl: Meridia Fletcher **(12)** _by Rubber Band Bandit_

Boy: Jerick Orhn **(14)** _by Major Trouble_

Mentor/s:

Stylist/s:

Escort:

District 10

Girl: Elsa Scotte **(15)** _by LupeHunter_

Boy: Luka Amara **(16)** _by LupeHunter_

Mentor/s: Emilio **(M) **_by LupeHunter_

Gio Lorrava **(M)**_by LupeHunter_

Stylist/s: Carlos **(M)** _by LupeHunter_

Arull_** (M)** __by LupeHunter_  
  
Escort: Jayce **(M) **_by LupeHunter_

District 11

Girl: Aisu Dimishiru **(14)** _by Icestream_

Boy: Ed Godby **(17)** _by rawriloveyou_

Mentor/s: Sasuramo **(M)** _by Icestream_

Stylist/s: Shatiku **(M)** _by Icestream_

Escort: Atiska **(F)** _by Icestream_

District 12

Girl: Rayshell **(12) **_by Icestream_

Boy: Ryden "Rye" Nyquist **(18)**_ by Major Trouble_

Mentor/s:

Stylist/s:

Escort:

Still many open spots! So keep reviewing or send me a PM :)  
And one more thing, if your escort isn`t chosen it is because only the first or best escort will be picked for every district.

**Yours JDEJM**


	3. Arena poll

Arena ideas:

**1**. **Small islands**. The tributes will be released on an island in the middle of open ocean. The island is surrounded by manny smaller islands that holds traps, mutts and some of them; food.  
It is tropical, and it will be hard to find water. Screaming birds will make them go insane, and snakes will strangle them in their sleep.

**2**. **Outer space **looking. Rocky, open spaces covered in grey dust and craters. Somepleaces the craters are bigger than they look, and the tributes may fall into them and die or drown in quicksand. Some of the holes, hides food and weaponds they can use. Big rocks works as hiding pleaces, and somewhere there might be unexpected suprises. The mutts will be more humanlike, except with a hint of alien looks.

**3**. **Stoneage**. The setting will be in a thick forrest. The tributes will have to sleap in caves and hunt for animals and pick fruits and berries. Tigers with abnormally large teeth, and mamutts will be a treath to the tributes. Perhaps even dinosours! (Yeah, i know the stoneage came after the dinosaurs had died, but I`m trying to be creative) Sinkwholes, volcanoes and other traps await.

**4**. **Underwater**. The tributes are forced underwater with suits that make them sink to the bottom. The water is not normall, so it feels like they are in open air, and can move naturlly and breeth. (that is physicly possible, but the capitol seemed to have come a long way with their tecnology in the books) Except that the fishes swim around, and the seagrass is moving as in water. Sometimes the "gravity" will come of, and they will be forced to swim! Sharks, whales and killer turtles! The tributes will not have to look for water tough:)

So **GO VOTE! **I can`t wait to start of with this storry, so excited!  
You guys realy helped me out, you had many great ideas to share, and some of these ideas will be used;)

Finally I`ve got all the characters I need, except our beloved, missing district 2 boy. Thank you all for submitting all those great reviews and tributes, you are so supportive!

At the moment I just want to get this storry started!  
And, I need more ideas for **mentors and stylists**. It`s actually hard work making up so many characters:(  
Even if you don`t have a character in this storry you can still make them, and then you can become a sponsor!

So post a **mentor, stylist, escort**, whatever in the missing spots in the tribute list..

So far this is how manny points each arean has:

1. Small islands: 2

2. Outer space: 1

3. Stoneage: 1

4. Underwater: 1

JDEJM


	4. District 1

District 1 reaping.  
I`m still not sure how to write these chapters, but I`ll figure out something:)  
So please enjoy this first chapeter in** Falling, **and may the odds ever be in your favour!

**District 1 girl: Annie Cathe**

I keep my emotionless eyes fixated on my own reflection. The mirror in front of me shows me exactly what`s happening behind me, so I don`t have to look behind myself.  
My mother is dressing me for the reaping, and trying to put on my dress properly. It is a beautiful dress actually, custom made, only for me. It is a strapless, white dress with a tint of lavender in it. Designed to make my already perfect curves stand out more. Boys would probably be whistling for me when I`m walking to the reaping. Still, my mother is not satisfied...

"How the hell did this happen? You were perfectly fine yesterday, and now you suddenly have this big bruise on your back! What would you`r father say if he saw this?" She screams at me, as always. Some drops of spit fly from her moth and lands on my neck. Ough! Shivers!

My dad would probably not care, he was the one who gave me those last night. He wanted to make a point, and hit me hard to the floor. "Get up! Don`t you start crying! This is nothing compared to what awaits you if you don`t volunteer tomorrow at the reaping! You have been training for this your whole life. Don`t disappoint me" His face had been filled with rage, and his eyes almost popped out of his head. Cold bastard. I wasn`t going to cry, but the pain of the punch had made my face sting so much that I almost couldn`t help it.

I shake out of the horrable memory and tune back to listening to my mother yeling again. "I fell on training. I suppose I got to caugh up" A lie, of corse. She allways belive me tough, everyone belives my lies. She only yells more"If you had told me before I would have given you some capitol medicine to heal you, but now it`s too late. Sigh. I`ll go get some makeup we can use to cover what the dress don`t"

Finally we are leaving, and I run out the door before my parents come after me too check on something. YES! Julia was right outside my door, leaning towards the wall, reading a book as always. "Hey there girl! Ready to go?" She snaps out of her book trance and quickly closes the book. "You bet!"  
We stroll down the roads together, side by side. Guys are whistling as they see me. Some of them ever purr at me and waves me over for them, but I only give them a cold look.

As we are halfway to the town square Julia grabs my arm and forces me to look at her.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She says, looking dead serious. Hard question. The games are cruel, I know that, but I have been preparing all my life. Besides, if I don`t my father will...  
"Yes! Absolutely! Stop asking me, you are making me nervous."  
I`m about to keep on walking for the square, but Julia holds me back.  
"Julia, we don`t have time for this..."  
I tough I was going to stare straight into her misty blue eyes, but her face is covered by a red stone. She was holding up a necklace in front of me. "Here, take it! Have it as you`r token. For me?"  
My parents had probably bough me something, but it doesn`t matter what they want me to have. I grab it and hang it around my neck. Julia seems pleased with my choice. Before I can say thank you she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly. I hug her back, not quite sure why.  
"You`r parents don`t know I exist, so there`s no chance they will let me come in and say goodbye before you are leaving"  
True, this was my last goodbye to her, so I hug her closer to myself, and her dirty, blond hair gets in my face.  
After some time we walk for the town square holding hands and sat down at the seventeen year old section.

The next couple of minutes felt like hours, waiting. I was preparing myself for volunteering. As the capitols anthem starts playing I squeeze Julia's arm so hard she yelps. The escort walks on stage and places herself between the two bowls filled with names. Sort of a waste in this district.  
"Hello, my name is Amelia Nichia! And may I announce. the opening of this years reaping"  
Someone claps, but only careers who were planning on volunteering or doing so later.

Amelia has dark blue hair and pink eyes. She looks like one of my old toys. She quickly opens her mouth again to stop a small murmur in the crowd.  
"As always, it is a pleasure to be the escort of such a high standard district, and I know I won`t be disappointed this year. Let`s begin with the girls shall we." She walks over to the bowl of names, her blue hair swinging from side to side. She makes an elegant move to get some attention before she picks up the name. She seems to have problems pronouncing it, but finally she says; "Yllanda Grandwill"

A girl from the group of fourteen year olds stumbles forward, as if she had been caught of guard. This was it!

**District 1 boy. Matthew Roderick**

"I volunteer" A girl from the group of seventeen year old shouts. Another girl who I know the name of, Julia, holds her hand, but the girl yanks herself free. She walks up on stage and places herself beside the escort without saying a word. Amelia looks surprised, and her big pink eyes just look more doll like.

"Umh, great! How exciting with a volunteer this year! What is _your_ name?" She says, looking up on the girl, because she is taller than her.

"Annie Cathe" She is beautiful! Perfect body, perfect face, perfect skin, perfect hair. Stunning. The only thing about her that seems intimidating is her eyes, staring emotionless into the air.

Amelia seems annoyed, probably because this girl who refuses to look at her is stealing the show.

" Let`s move on. Shall we?" She steps right in front of Annie before she walks over to the second bowl of names. How stupid isn`t that? The capitol perfectly knows that there is almost always someone who volunteers, so why bother?

I fix my hair, straighten my clothes, and flex my muscles. Now it`s my turn. I will show my family, i will win, and I will bring back tons of food and money for myself. I repeat to myself "I can do this, I can do this!" As if it is the most obvious thing, which it is.

Amelia digs deep into the bowl for a name, before she even can read the one she got I yell. " I volunteer!" and run away from the other fifteen yearolds and for the stage. I take imitate place beside Annie. She doesn`t move. Ok`Whats up with that?  
I grin and wave to the audience, ,y friends clap and whistle, but the cheers quickly die out.

"Wow... Uh! So there you have it folks! You`r two tributes for the hunger games. And may the odds ever be in your favour." Amelia claps her hands, as demonstating that the reaping is over, and that the games just begun...


	5. District 2

**So, district 2 reapings. I was so excited when I saw all the review I had got, thank you very much!**

**Thanks for reminding me to use the spellchecker properly. I do, but sometimes I mess up words and sentences. If you see a mistake you could copy it and PM it to me. I need it so I can improve my writing.**

**Pleace keep voting on you`r favourite arena. So far "Small islands" and "stone age" have the same amount of points! I am equally excited for both ideas actually, but you guys decide:)**

**And I promisse I won`t use as long to post next chapeter, I will do it tomorrow already:) I swear!**

* * *

**_District 2 Boy Blink Vernet (12)_**

"Let the hunger games begin!"

Our escort, Blaze Hampersmith, waves to the crowd in excitement. As she zooms of stage, her blond and black curls bounce back and fourth. She waves at me and the other district two tribute. What was her name again? Oh yeah, Harmony Island. She`s a bit taller than me, and her silky blond locks reflects the rays of sun tat shine trough the tall buildings. It is extremely long, like from a fairytale or something. Braided into one thick, long braid decorated with pin. She grins at me.

"Shall we go?"

She asks, and makes a gest with her hand, as trying to be polite. Her shrilling voice is just as pretty as her. I`ve heard her sing before, and therefore, I kind of trust her. I don`t usually trust older girls, they are mostly there just for my entertainment, but I think it is best if I stay friends with this one. I follow her down stage, still stif from the shock, where our escort is standing.

"I`m so excited!"

Blaza shrieks as we walk of stage and towards her. Her hands are swinging up and down at her sides, as if she`s trying to fly. With her black hair and yellow striped dress she looks like a bee. She shakes Harmonys hand harshly, and looks her deep into the eyes.

"You volunteered. How extremely unexpected by you! Wow! This is so cool"

She sounds like my sister, Polla, when she was thirteen. Bouncy, eager and happy all the time. Almost too happy. In my head I can imagine how it would be to play a prank on her. A mousetrap in her purse? A rat in her hair?  
Even tough Blaza seems like she`s on some sort of speed, Harmony shakes her hand and nods calmly back. It took her five seconds to connect with our escort. How long will it take me? If I want to connect?  
Blaza turns towards me and smiles even brighter.

"And an adorable boy like you will have plenty of sponsors. You didn`t volunteer, but since you are a district 2 kid I suppose you have a hidden talent of some sort?"

The words come rushing out of her mouth like a waterfall. She pets my head. Ok, now it`s getting annoying.  
I have to think about my answer. Hmmmm... My parents have been training me, hoping that I could become a peacekeeper, but I can`t reach the requirements to be taken into their academy, I`m still young tough. So I have something. My old folks would be relieved if I left for the training, even tough they don`t have a lot time for me. One less to pay attention to. I love them, but they never ever have time to me because of their work. So I rarely see them, and when they come back, they shower me with gifts. Not that I bother...

"So, do you have a talent or what?"

Blaza has stopped bouncing, and now s`he is only looking strangely at me with her head leaned to the sides. Making her look stupid, actually. I stare blankly at her for a wile before I snap out of my "trance".

"Eh, well. I have been training to become a peacekeeper my whole life."

I grin, and look towards Harmony. waiting for some sort of acceptance. She only looks at me surprised, she probably didn`t think so highly of me. Perhaps I just earned some respect.

"A peacekeeper? WOW!"

I nod my head. I suppose this gives me an equal chance as anyone else to win. I mean, I have the training, and I could always trick and lure people into traps. That would be clever. By using some of the tricks I use on my older sisters when I play pranks on them.

They always get so angry, I love it. I am going to miss that in the arena...

"Ok, let`s go and have you say your final goodbyes, trust me darlings, if we could skip it we would. Afterwards we`ll have something to eat. Tomorrow is going to be such a hectic day!"

Blaza claps her hands in enthusiasm and shrieks again. OK! Now I am definitely going to play a prank on her. So as she turns away to speak to one of our mentors, I slip a stinkbomb into her purse. Once she gets to grabby into that thing, it will go of like a rotten tomato.

I smile, I am going to the arena, I am going to have a hard time, I am going to win, but who said I can`t have some fun first?

**District 2 girl HArmony Island (18)**

I follow Blaza towards the town hall. Blink tagging along like some sort of dog. I will play faithfull and friendly now, but later...

For the moment, I like Blink. Even tough he`s just twelve, and looks super annoying, he has been training hard to become a peacekeeper. Something I actually find a little bit impressive. And, I just saw him slip something into Blazas purse, which has to be good because I know about his past of playing pranks. His sisters complain about him all the time. Seriously! I know them, tough, I know everyone!

As we walk I play with my blond hair that has fallen out of the braid. Whatever, as long as it looked good on camera. I brush some dust of my dress, and straighten my necklace. It just occurred to me that we are on our way to say our final goodbyes, so I want to look proper. My mom, my dad, Jaylene, James and... Kyle.

_Oh my gosh! Kyle!_ I start fiddling with my necklace uncontrolled, and my head gets sweat. _kyle, Kyle, Kyle!_But at last I can relax my thoughts and get back to reality, the fatal one. I am going to the hunger games, he is staying here, I might die and never get to confess my feelings for him. What will I do?

The most reasonable thing seems to be to forget about it, leave it. But if I do, I`ll might never know if he felt the same way for me. What if he does?

"What if he does!"

I take a step backwards to clear my head. I sit just me or is the world spinning uncontrollable? Blaza looks at me with her cute asking face. I just earned some unwanted attention. I wave her off and smile,as if I`m ok. Hell, I`m not!

I must decide, should I confess my feelings? My head yells _No!, _but something deep inside my body yells even louder_, yes! _I suppose that if I don`t I`d only be thinking about it in the arena. It will be a huge distraction! So I know it now, when he get`s in I will tell him I love him. I don`t care if he doesn`t feel the same way about me.

Blaza opens the door to the giant building so I can step inside. She likes me, already, but people always do so. They just love me, they can`t help it, and mostly I love them back equally much. Sometimes it can get annoying when people like me so much but I don`t like them. UGH! Tough, that`rare.

But in the games I will have to play it differently...

* * *

**Ok, so I must confess that it was hard writing about Blink and Harmony! But trust me, you will be hearing a lot from them later;) And Blink, let`s just say I will give him a lot of attention in the training chapter. So, tada!**

**And remember vote, vote VOTE!**

**JDEJM**


	6. District 3

**Ok, I know what you are going to say! "Hey, you swore you`d update on Friday, and now it`s MONDAY!"**

**Well technically, I could have been an as-whole and waited till next Friday to update, but I am not that mean :P And as many of you know, fanfiction had some sort of breakdown recently, so I wasn`t able to submit this chapeter.**

**So, I decided to go with the small island idea:) For those of you who voted Stone Age, don`t cry, because I will probably make one of the islands with dinosaur looking mutts and a volcano!**

**Enjoy this chapter, and I will see you later :D**

* * *

**Meadow Morraine (15)**

I sit nervously at a bench in the town hall, waiting for my family and friends to come and say goodbye. Why am I here? I should be home, doing homework for tomorrow. The other kids in class will be doing theirs, and read it up for our teacher tomorrow. Except for me, and Ember Passeri.

He`s in another room now. Waiting for his family to come and pet his shoulder and wish him good luck. Encourage him to win and come home again...

I could win, if I tried, but I can`t kill a human being. That is against my nature, a big "no no".

A peacekeeper opens the big metal door to let in my first visitor. I look up from the ground where my eyes have been planted the last fifteen minutes. I can barely make out who it is, because my mind is so dizzy.

My brother Rush runs into the room and throws himself around my neck. I hug him tightly.

"Why in a rush, Rush?"

I ask, trying to loosen up my tense attitude. He doesn`t laugh, or flinch. All he does is to bury his head into my brown, curly hair and sob. I want to say something, I want to comfort him. But how can I without lying?

"Rush, it will be ok. I will be fine..."

No! I won`t. I am going to the arena, and die lonely, with that duchebag Ember! Why the hell did he volunteer? It didn`t exactly make things easier for me. I burst into tears and almost strangle my brother by squeezing him. I howl from pain that I feel inside, and my salty tears run down my cheek and make them feel uncomfortable and a minute or so of intense crying side by side with my brother my parents come in. Quickly, I wipe my tears away from my green eyes and straighten my back. I don`t want them to see me like this.

"Oh, Meadow! My child" My mother hugs me, I don`t want her to let go. Her warmth soothes me, and I am not crying any more. My father nods at me as I wipe away my last tear. He knows my mother would be in more pain if he saw me like I was two seconds ago. He reaches down to hug me, he`s so very tall compared to me. The smell of him, I don`t want to let go of that either.

Suddenly I feel someone yank my dress. It`s my brother again, still crying. He points at the door were my friend, Liah. she stands shyly in the door. Probably wondering if she can come inside, or if she dares.

"Come inside dear child"

My mother says in a calm voice.

"You have to say goodbye to! It will give her strength"

Liah leaps forward and sits on her knees in front of me. With a firm grasp she grabs my face and looks into my eyes.

"You will beat that bastard, ok? You are way better than him; he will not have a chance to avoid losing to you this time!"

She almost yells. Her hands squeeze my face, but I can`t make myself shake out of her hands. I know who she is talking about. Ember.

We always fight: Ember and I. Both of us want to be the best, but none of us can ever conquer the other completely. I used to be the smartest one in my class until he came moving here with his father just a couple of months ago. Since then, we have been fighting about everything.

I bet that if I hadn`t been reaped he would never have volunteered. And now, well, there can only be one winner.

"I will do my best Liah, ok? But I won`t kill anyone, not even him!"

Liah seems unpleased, but accepts it. She shakes her head and release her grip from the sides of my head. She gives me a kiss on my forehead and sheds a tear.

"You know I love you as much as a friend can? Don`t you?"

"I know Liah, and I love you. I will do my best to beat him for you, and I will think about you the whole time"

There is sorrow in Liahs eyes. As If I`m already dead, but she manages to make a weak smile and says right before she leaves.

"I will never forget you. I will build a memorial for you!"

A peacekeeper shoves her out the door, and just as quickly lets my grandfather enter. The old crooked man looks at me with a compassionate look, he knows how I feel. No one knows it as good as my grandfather do!

"You came"

I say. Not happy, but revealed. Years have worn him out, but he still came for me. I sob again, this was what I was dreading the most. Saying goodbye to grandpa.

"Don`t cry honey. I want to remember you just the way you are. Strong and independent"

Strong? Me? I want to laugh! Sure I am smart, but not strong. Still, I manage to hold myself from gagging up the cries of pain. With slow progress, my grandfather sits beside me and puts a hand on my shoulder. He doesn`t say much, but his closeness is enough. At last he picks up something from his pocket and gives it to me. It is a locket. As I exanimate it I can see that it is shaped as an owl.

"The owl symbolizes knowledge. I wanted you to have it, as a token. Just look at it, and you will remember what advantages you have. Brains is the best weapon you can have, Meadow, never forget!"

I sniff twice and clutch my and around it. I will wear it all the time. I lean my head against his shoulder and let the pain fade by itself. Old grandpa just sits there and hums a melody I know very well. After a few minutes the same peacekeeper reappears in the doorway. For a second I actually tough I saw a hint of pity in his eyes, before he calls for my grandfather and tells him it`s time to go.

I don`t want him to. He is the last thing that I love in this district that I will ever see. The next few days I will be stuck with Ember in the Capitol, and then we will be forced to kill each other. How can the Capitol do such a thing just to remind us about what happened so many years ago? It is unfair.

I watch the door slowly close with a loud metallic thud and I am left alone in the big, dark room. The only thing I can do is to look down into my lap, and play with the worn out fabric of my green dress. It is so pretty, my mother...

I rise quickly to my feet. I can`t stand just sitting here anymore feeling sorry for myslef, so I walk around in the justice building for a few minutes. Exanimating the walls and decorations. It is not super wealthy looking, but better than any of the homes in district 3. Shiny, blank walls with computer screens everywhere displaying pictures. One of them from the rebellion, district 13 and... President Snow.

My first tough is to pick up the closest chair and slam it into the screen. I mean. Why not? In a few days I`ll be dead anyway, so why bother? But I can`t make myself do it. Instead I let my hand glide across the wall and I count to ten in Latin. It calms me, and I feel like continuing. As I do I hear a loud sob coming from another room.

"What was that?"

I think out loud, and follow the silent weeping. Further down the hall, behind another steel door with green computer looking panthers sit Ember with his family. It was really odd. His sister, Elly, was weeping while howling.

"Why did you do it? Why Ember, I don`t want you to leave us"

Troy, his older brother was petting him on his shoulder while looking away. His parents were trying to talk calmly to him and convince his that he had to play smart if he wanted to get home. Ember, was only looking empty into thin air, as if he has been drained for every emotion there could be in is body at this moment.

Careless as I am, I managed to lean to much over the door and make it squeak. Damn!

For a slight second Ember looks straight at me. His body doesn`t move, only his eyes dart like arrows in my direction. Something that made me jump backwards. His family hasn`t seen me, but he keeps looking at me with his empty eyes until I walk away.

**Ember Passeri (15)**

I just saw Meadow in the door.

Typical of her to come here and ruin everything, I can`t even make myself look weak in front of my family now.

My sister won`t stop weeping and crying, her face looks damaged.

I can`t believe I did this! Volunteered! How stupid can you get Ember? I tough you were smart!

My head is going crazy with all the thoughts spinning around in it, refusing to stop. Turning my head into one big pot of brewing mental breakdowns. I suppose this is some aftershock and I will get over it, but not now.

I used to assume myself as smart, until right now. Top of my class with Meadow, always trying to beat me, me always trying to beat her. Now, well, only one of us can win this thing. I volunteered in a whim, my mind only focused on beating Meadow, again...

My sisters nose is running like a waterfall. I need to make her stop, because this is really not making me feel any better, so I try to make myself seem mild and strong.

"Elly, you don`t have to cry. You know I am smart, this is going to be all right"

I am a horrible liar, and Elly knows, because I don`t look people in the eyes when I lie. Elly makes a last cry before she hugs me and leaves with the rest of my family. My mother and father looking like they are in deep pain. I know they are, because they haven`t said anything yet. My mother barely manages to force herself to say "goodbye Ember, my son" as she disappears out the door.

The moment I am sure they are outside I grab the closest thing, a glass of water, and ram it into the wall. It shatters and makes dancing drops of water fly through the air. For a slight second I am in peace before the door opens again, and aunt Rayne steps inside.

"You know what I am thinking Ember!"

She`s right. I walk towards her and hug her tightly, and she squeezes me back. My lovely aunt is here, to say goodbye...

"Ember. You know that we all are very scared that you won`t come home right now. Most likely, you will be killed in those games. The careers..."

"I know Rayne, but you also know I am not completely helpless either"

She forces a smile, but gets serious again.

"That girl, Meadow. You volunteered because of her, right`? Because you want to beat her?

"Yes"

I reply ashamed. Beating someone is not an argument to volunteer.

"And imagine how she feels right now. I know you can beat her if you want, but I also think she can beat you if SHE really wants to. You are both smart Ember, she could be a good ally"

"WHAT?"

Ok, Meadow is smart! But there is no way I would EVER ally with her. I can win this alone, without anyone if I want to. I am probably going to ally with someone, but not HER!

"No! No way! Rather with the careers than her!"

"EMBER! Shut it! You know I only say this because I don`t want you to die. Have you realized that this is hurting me? Did it even cross your mind how much I would do to get you back alive rather than in a wooden box from that please?"

She`s angry now. On the edge of crying.

"We`ll see"

Is all I can say before I give her one last hug and a peacekeeper escorts her outside. She blows me a kiss before the doors are closed and she is gone. Now what?

I dig my hands in my pockets while I whistle to try and cheer myself up. I get frightened as I feel something cold against my fingertips. I pull up a coin from my pocket and exanimate it. It is engraved with the motto "In God we trust" Hm! What is that supposed to mean? My aunt must have put it there while she was hugging me, to avoid me asking about it.

I put the coin back into my pocket and I keep whistling.

To make my confident grow back, I whistle a song of victory.

* * *

**Finally. So this became a bit longer than expected. I tried to make Ember cocky but nice, and Meadow nice but not helpless. Did it work?**

**I will update soon, but I wish for more reviews:) They make my days brighter!**

**JDEJM3**


	7. District 4

**Hi guys!**

**Sorry for not updating in a while, but you probably figured I`m kinda slow at this already.**  
**To make things worse, I won`t be able to update again before Sunday:( I`m spending my holidays at my cabin, someplace there is NO internett.**

**So enjoy this chapeter, and I will update first thing wen I get home.**

* * *

**District 4 boy Tanner Fisc Jones II (18)**

I watch as my district slowly dissapeares in the distance. The train is very fast, so after a few seconds, there is nothing but sea in the horrizont.

_Goodbye district 4._

_Goodbye all my lauzy friends._

_Prepare to say hello to the new victor!_

_OH YEAH!_

Yes! Life after winning the games will be so great! Not only for me, but my little brother to. Nothing can stop me from winning. I just wish we would get there soon, because I just want to get to the arena as soon a possible.

Time flows by slowly,and all I can do is to stare outside my window and do nothing. Blah! I tough the Capitols were like super smart and stuff! Why haven`t they made a faster train?

I look around to see if there is something else to do. In another seat a bit further back in the train sits Jade, my district parner. A pretty, tall girl with brown wavy hair. Unlike my blond, scruffy hair which is uncommon in our district. When I think of it, my angular face and grey eyes make me stand out pretty much. Oh well, the girls adore me!

Jade`s silently smiling to herself while fidging with a small ring in her hand. She`s only forteen, but I`ve seen her with a sword, fierce and fast. She, like me, can also swim but not as fast! She could make a good ally.

I jump as our escort and mentors storms trough a door in the back of our cupe. Our escort, Lace, is long and muscular with dark long hair and blue eyes. Compared to other escorts I have seen trough the years he is not over styled. His suit is black with an open chest, and there are some few white stripes in is hair. Very nonchelant. Except for his big, puffy lips that look like bees ave been stinging them. He doesn`t say much, but I know he has a voice that gives the girls sivers down their spines. Insted he makes an elegant movement with his hand as introducing our mentors.

"Yes, here we are again Kevin! And as always, you are the one who looks old and tired. Ha ha!"

Our youngest mentor, Lulla, laughs of her own joke. I don`t understand it, so I just avoid changing my facial expression. Lulla is very young, only nineteen. She won three years ago in the hunger games. The most bloody thing I have ever seen. She killed people with her bare hands, and she used her own teets to cut their pulse.

Jeesh! At least I can keep a cool facade trough pressure.

She is small and muscular. Her skin is tanned like most of those in district four are. And her eyes are freaking me out, because they are pitch black. Like some sort of monster.

Kevin is older, about forty something. But he doesn`t have the same tan. He is actually very pale, as if he keeps staying inside instead of going outside.

_Ok?_

"Let`s get you some food and we can discuss our stratergy after watching the recap"

Kevin claps twice and a boy, not older than fourteen, with brown curly hair steps inside with a big plate filled with food. Clams, oyster, octopuss and whale. But no Lobster.

_Crap!_

Jade comes to sit beside me and says thank you to the boy with her regular polite smile. The boy only smiles back, but says noting. I don`t realy bother so I dig in on the food. Our escort seems discussed by my eating abits, and follow the young boy to the kitchen.

Our escorts sit down across the table to excaminate us both. Lulla seems to be staring at me, so I put on my regular cocky smile. She sends me a teasing smile back. Tough she is super creepy I might just give her a sot at mentoring me, perhaps she has an advice or two she could teach me. As long as it doesn`t involve swollowing blood...

Eating goes quickly. The fish tastes good, and the gravy is delitious. But it`s not like I haven`t tasted something similar before. As soon as the last piece of clam has reached my stomackh I ask in my "I want to do it now" voice:

"Is the recap starting soon? I`d like to see my compedators."

Jade looks up from her golden, still full plate with an intessted look. She propably also wants to check out which ones could be good allies.

"Let Jade finnish her meal first! The recap doesn`t start until twenty minutes anyway"

Kevin tells me. So for the next twenty minutes I glare at Jade while she`s eating. Childish, I know, but who cares?

It makes her unfocused, and she seems unable to chew right. Every time she takes a sip from her glass of water I send her my flirting/teasing/funny look, and she almost spits it out again. in the end she looks exhausted from only holding the laughter back, and he politely asks with a flushed face if we can go watch.

On our way into the tv-cupe, I bump her shoulder teasingly. She starts laughing, but suddenly her expression changes into serious. Her green eyes stare intensly into mine, and I giver her a nod.

_I think we just made an alliance._

We sit down in a big, blue couch with golden patherns. Its soft, I could fall asleep right here. But then I`d miss the reaping.

It starts normally, with the Capitols crest and the hunger games anthem plying on the tv. BORING! One of the gamemakers introduce, and begins with district 1. As salways, they have a small amount of backround information about the district.

We pay the most attention to district 1 and 2. We are suprised to see that there are three volunteers from district 3, 7 and 10. The district three boy looks like he didn`t actually know what he was doing, but the others... I liked them.

Kevin scribles down tings on a papaer. I supose I should be doing so too, but oh well. Now that he has, what`s the point?

"There are three twelve year olds this year. That will make it easier to get rid of a lot of people during the blood bath. And a lot of these tibutes look underfeed and weak, so I think you all have a pretty good chance"

Kevin says casually.

"Ah, twelve year olds. Such soft skin and weak arms"

Lulla says. And then giggles like crazy. That`s the most creepy thing I\ve ever hears. So I just choose to turn away.

"I am going to take a shower. I`ll see you later"

I tell them, and walk out the door to another part of the train.

I need some time to think.

**Jade Smali (14)**

Tanner struts out of the room with his confident look. Gosh, he is so pretty. With his blond hair and blue eyes. Not like the other district four boys, and those muscles. He`s pretty, and my mother allways told me I was pretty. With my tall figue, small nose and high cheekbones. Something that makes me look way older than a fourteenyearold. We could make a good couple him and I...

I have to stop myself from giggling like a schoolgirl, and instead I follow him outside. When we are far away enough from the others I tap his shoulder and wait for him to turn to me. Still with his cocky look and raised eyebrows.

"Did you see the other tributes. Which ones do uou think we should ally with? Because I have been looking at those who volunteered, and not all of them seem steady"

"Yeah, I saw that. We should with no doubt forgett about the district 2 boy. Seriously, no one volunteered? And even tough the district three boy volunteered, i think we should forgett about him!"

"Yes. As soon as training starts we ally up with them. Aproach them carefully. But I think we should keep an eye on the other volunteers from the other districts before we ally with them. We don`t even know their skills"

We both nod at the same time. Before we separate and go to each of our wagon. Before Tanner closes the door he blows me kiss and says.

"Good night little mermaid"

And then he slams the door.

I am left in my own doorway stunned. Little mermeaid? Was that what he called me?

I go into my wagon, and take of my clothes. The red dress I wore at the reaping is starting to itch, and I throw it away. I take a shower, and cover myself with mineral salt and different lotions. I have never touched such expencive things before.

I walk out of the shower dripping wet, and another machine that looks like a giant fan dries me. A satin nightgown is ling in a chair in the bedroom, and I slip into it. Without hessetating I jump into the bed, but I jump out of it almost as quickly, as if it gave me an eletrical shock. Something was very wierd about this bed.

I touched it, and noticed the funny way it bounced where my finger had been. It made a silent, slurry sound.

"It`s filled with water!"

Hooray! This was one of the things I was concerned about with going to the games, leaving the ocean behind. But at least I have a small piece here, in this big squared madrass. An I jump back into it, feeling the wavy movement it made.

Before I close my eyes I think about this day. It seems like a whole week, so many things have happened. I can`t ealy belive I`m doing this! It hasn`t realy sunk in. i suppose that is why I`m not that very concerned yet.

All the adrenalin from today has worn out my body, and I fall asleep the moment I close my eyes.

* * *

**Ok. Te last part was quite short, and it didn`t happend that very much. But just wait til the next one.**

**I tried to make Tanner seem cocky, did I do it? Or did I just use the word cocky once to many?**

**JDEJM**


	8. District 5

**Hey guys, sorry about the very long wait. You have no idea how sorry I am right now, I am literally so nervous about how you will respond to my long absence. I think that after a failed attempt to count the sponsor system points I lost motivation, and I kept loosing track of the tributes. So to make a better image of them I also had to take my time to draw them;) It took some time, but it's easier for me to imagine them if I have a proper mental image of them.**

**So, bad news. I decided to drop the sponsor system. I am very sorry about it, and I apologize to those of you who bothered to comment a lot and send me escorts and mentors. But I will keep your extra effort in the back of my mind and remember that during the blood bath:) I also lost the papers with the notes I had written about the story and the characters. Which means I have to write down all their info again and this time in a book so I don`t loose it:(**

**So, I am finally back, and the next chapter will be up by tomorrow. See ya!**

**Harmony Island district 2**

I was happily swinging my feet back and fourth from the high chair I was sitting on. Our mentor was finally turning on the TV to watch the recap of today's reaping. I couldn`t wait! I knew I needed a strategy to wipe out most tributes possible, and I needed to see who were the weak ones, and who could be dangerous.

On the other hand, I had been happy all day. First of all: because of the reaping. I had actually dared to take the final step and volunteering. Something I had been building up my guts for, for several years. And Finally I was on my way.

Kyle had come to say goodbye with my friends. To tell the truth, confessing what I had on my mind was harder than volunteering. Ha had been on his way out the door before I had yelled "Kyle!" But the moment I had spoken the words I so long had been holding back he smiled his sweet, sweet smile and said. "I already knew Harmony. But I really wish I had realized it sooner." And then he had disappeared out the door before the peacekeepers would throw him out.

I wasn`t quite sure what he had meant by that. If he and I had gotten together earlier, what did he expect to accomplish? It wasn`t like I wouldn`t have volunteered just because he and I had been together. Right?

I fiddled with my long blonde hair. Trying only to look on the bright side, waiting patiently for the recap to start. I had to see what kids could be good alliances, and which weren`t. Twelve year olds was no big deal. They weren`t even worth bothering to kill, because they`d eventually just starve or something like that. It was boys over fourteen and strong looking girls that were important. After a pep talk with my mentor he warned me that district: 3, 5 and 6 were the smart ones to look out for, and those from 9 to 12 were the strongest and fastest if you didn`t count in the career districts.

Suddenly the Capitol crest popped up on the screen, so sudden like a lightning bolt. I managed to pull my own hair because of the small shock I had when the too loud anthem played over the whole train.

"Sorry" My escort said. "I turned it up too loud."  
I didn`t even bother to look at her, I only focused at the TV.

District one begins, as usual, there are careers from this district. A boy and a girl volunteered. The guy looked cocky like careers usually do, but the girl only bothered me. I didn`t think I would ally with her. And if we still do, I won`t let her live long.

My district was up, and me and my skimpy district partner walk on stage. Me, with a look of pride. Blink, with a look as if he had seen the dead wake up.

District three is not worth looking at, and from district four there are the regular careers. I wasn`t planning on bothering about district 5, but the boy caught my eye. "Jay Island" The escort calls out.

_No! No, no, no, no! This is not happening. I won`t allow this to happened. For god's sake, not my brother!_

** Amri Phriek district 5**

I watched the landscape of my beloved home disappear behind me as the train started running towards the capitol. In the beginning all I could see was gray houses and rundown neighborhoods where the poorest people in our district live, but the view changed into dry landscape as far as the eye could see as we went further. I found myself biting my thumb and counting dead coyotes along the track.

_Wow, a great way to spend the last days of my life, huh?_

"What are you looking at?" Said Jay, my district partner.

"Hm?" I mumbled. I hadn`t really been paying attention to him until now.

Jay is one year younger than me, but he looks older. Although he is only 15 years old he is muscular, tan and the girls in my district would describe him as god looking. Tough, I find the red dyed tips of his hair weird, he generally seems like an ok type.

He brushed some of his black and red hair away from his face and asked again.

"What were you looking at?"

"Nothing really. Just some damned desert and dead animals" I shuddered at the tough that in just a few days I might be as dead as the coyotes lying rotting beside the tracks.

"You?" I said, just to be polite. I expected him to say something about the bandage covering half of my face, which he would only have received an ice cold glare in respond of. The last person who asked about my bandage had to wear one himself. In the arm tough, but still.

"Our escort" He pointed at the ditsy woman fixing her golden hair in a mirror on the other side of the train. She also seemed to be putting on new diamonds at the place her eyebrows were supposed to be. Jeesh! I snorted, and went back to looking out the window. I was literally just waiting for the recap to begin. I needed to look for allies, even now. The tough of staying alone in the arena frightened me, and I didn`t really picture Jay as my ally in the deadly arena.

Our mentor suddenly appeared beside me. Looking at us with a glare that seems deadly. His face was covered with a long scar which I dared believe was from his time in the games.

"The recap will start in a few minutes, so if you come to the television wagon with me and we will get you something to eat."

Jay and I followed him. Unlike me Jay with a confident walk after our mentor who now was our only "friend" in this crazy world. All my friends were left behind in district 5, and eventually, they would forget me. They will keep on playing soccer without me, laugh without me and grow up without me. My family too.

Our sparkly escort showed us our place in a big couch and asks me to sit down. My mentor slumped down next to me. I could feel that he was looking at me. I didn`t really know how to respond, so I slowly turn around.

The look confused me. It looked strict, but there was fascination and most of all sympathy. Was it because I am going to the games and he knew I am not going to survive, or was it because of the bandage covering half of my face?

I darted my eyes to the TV quickly, avoiding his gaze. The capitol anthem played, and the recap began.

**Jay Island**

_Red is the color of my hair_

_Red is the color my mother loved the most_

_Red is the color of the setting sun over the landscape our train is going_

_And red is the opening of the recap. Still, no blood has yet been shed_

As the Capitol anthem begins, Amri seems to keep focused on the television and nothing else. Her pale green eyes stare firmly on the screen, and she barely blinks even though she gets her blonde bangs over her eyes. Something about Amri seems so weird. Half of her face is covered in bandage, and I have wanted to ask what she is hiding since I noticed it while we were leaving the district, but I am not prepared for how she may respond. I should do as her right now to; this is the first look I will get on my opponents. And I might see another guy on my age that might be friendly enough to ally with me.

I focus on district one. Normal, or? Wait! Not normal careers from the two first districts. I don`t bother the other so much, but the small, blond district two girls seems so familiar. Is it? Could it be?

"Harmony Island? Isn`t Island your second name Jay?" Amri says. Not bothering to give me a look, which I am glad she doesn`t, because my face is now matching my white shirt.

I start sweating; salty drops run down my forehead as the rest of the reaping seem to go incredibly slow. It all adds up as a blur. I can`t breathe, the games haven't even started and I am already panicking. I gulp air as I am waiting for the small girl from twelve to walk on stage.

_Red, red, red! I can`t see anything else. Like a bull._

_Red might be the color of my hair, but it also the description of the feeling deep into my guts. Rage!_

As it all ends I remain in the way to soft couch, unable to stand up. Neither the mentors nor my escort seems to notice, but Amri has seen the look on my face, and the despair in my eyes. But I don`t think she understands. Perhaps she assumes I just realized what I am going into, or that I am afraid of killing twelve year olds.

"I`ll go to bed now!"

I stand up quickly. Too quickly, and now I`m dizzy.

"Aren`t you going to discuss with us? Or consider allies?"

My mentor seems confused. Usually tributes will pick at least two other tributes as potential allies or targets and keep an eye on them. But I need to be alone right now.

"No!"

And I walk away. I feel awkward for not saying anything else, but if they discover the truth they will understand.

I walk into the room in the very back of the train that has been given to me. Fresh clothes are neatly folded on my bed and there is a cup of fresh brewed coco by my table, but it all seems useless and I jump directly onto the bed and hold around the way to soft pillow with pink ruffles.

I haven`t seen my sister Harmony in many years. Our parents broke up when we were quite young and my sister moved to district 2 with mom to live there, while dad and I stayed in district 5. I don`t even know how she is. Yes, we have been exchanging letters where she tells me about mom and daily life in 2, but she never said anything about being a career.

I cry, this is not happening! The capitol will love this! A dramatic hunger games where only one sibling can survive. Perhaps none of them. I can already imagine the headlines in their magazines.

"Will district 2 girl ditch underclass brother for glory?"

"Sibling love in arena"

"Which Island will last longest. Experts discuss"

This is not fair. She volunteered! Why? Why would anyone do that? And why exactly now?  
I let the waterworks run, and half cry half sing myself to sleep. It`s supposed to be a sweet lullaby mother sang for us, but I can`t help to imagine it as sad.

_I am a very red person indeed, but I have never felt so blue….. _

**So it turned out a bit weird, thinking about that I wrote in two different times for the chapters. But I realy needed to finnish this one and continue.**


	9. District 6

**Another chapter for you guys**

**Before you start reading I want you to answer me one question: Should I announce the bloodbath characters?**

**I was thinking that if I didn`t: it might turn out exciting to see who dies instead of the usual five to nine people dying that you already know about. You can still make alliances, but you will not know if your ally dies the first day or not. Is this ok or just inconvenient?**

**JDEJM**

_**Alexander Hemp district 6 (15 years)**_

I wake up to the sound of my mother like escort knocking carefully at my door asking me to come join the rest for breakfast. I wipe droll from my cheek, and flush even though she can`t see me and say I will be there in a minute.

I kick away the blanket that is covering half of my body and jump out. I stretch till I can hear my joints pop, and yawn loudly before I jump into the clean set of clothes someone has put on a chair while I was asleep. The shirt is my size, but it stays loose around my arms and belly due to my lack of muscles. I am literally just skin and bones.

I have a quick peek in the mirror before I go outside. My dirty blonde hair is not to bad, even after the restless night I miraculously slept through. I had woken up in the middle of the night screaming and breathing heavy after a nightmare about my district partner, Athena Blackout.

Her appearance frightens me a little, but her attitude makes me feel helpless. If she is going to be there I might not even last a day. She looks like those creepy girls from the very old horror movies my friend has from before the rebellion. The movie I can`t help think about is "the ring". Athena is so pale, and with long black hair. And whenever she looks at me, I shudder.

I shake of the tough about her and try to look on the bright side. Ok, so I might die in a few days, but it doesn`t mean I can`t enjoy a proper breakfast. I can smell toast and butter, so there has to be something really nice prepared for us.

As I shyly make my way through the narrow halls in the train with my hands dug deep into my pockets I finally find the room where breakfast is served, and as I was hoping, a feast has been prepared.

The table is set with shiny plates and glasses. There is milk, juice, some thick brown liquid that smells strong and bitter and other drinks in all the colors of the rainbow. Several breads in different shapes lie in baskets and fills the coupon with a fresh nice odor. Like when my mother used to for bake me and my brother, Benjamin, on Sunday mornings.

The tough of the family I will never see again makes me sad, but I told myself I was done mourning, and would focus 100% on the games. I miss them, yes, even my brother who is more athletic and social. He might have annoyed me with his perfection sometimes, and hurt me when he made my parents more proud than they ever would be of me, but I need to move on. Still, having my good old friend, the computer, here wouldn`t hurt. I am kind of a nerd like many other in my district.

"There you are sweetheart! Grab a plate and eat. It`s delicious!"

My nice escort is sitting at the end of the wagon, waving over at me. Smiling like a five year old with rose red cheeks and wild eyes. I am glad I don`t have one of those really annoying ones.

I fill up my plate with everything that looks good. I`ve seen more kinds of fruits in five minutes than trough my entire life, and I am excited to taste them all. I pick up a long, bubbly one. I have never tasted blue fruit. Besides, my mentor told me to eat a lot so I could gain a pound til the games and have some extra rations. Because I was going to go without food at times.

I am about to take a bite when the room falls silent. My escort who was chatting with my mentor shut her mouth, and my mentor seemed to move his attention towards the door where I had enterd just ten minutes ago. I drop the fruit, and the sound it makes when it hits the plate feels louder than a bombs explosion.

Athena glares coldly at all of us for a few seconds from the open door before she continues inside and grabs a tray to fill up with food.

**Athena Blackout (14 years)**

My dull district partner is staring at me again. He had done so a couple of times since I paraded into the room with a new red and black dress an avox must have left for me. It suits me perfectly, with black, gothic ruffles and spider web patterns. I guess my mentor picked it; he probably wants me to stand out when we arrive to the Capitol. Not that I already have.

I catch Alexander at looking again, and I catch him at it by looking deeply into his eyes and keeping eye contact. Even though he is at the other end of the train; he understands my message "I am going to kill you"

I go back to abducting a chicken leg I covered with ketchup to make it look like something bleeding and eat it slowly.

My bouncy and annoying escort walks up to me after a few minutes, almost seeming to quiver while trying to say something. Just like everyone else, she is afraid of me.

"Just spit it out lady, I don`t have all day you see"

She bounces into the air, obviously startled. What a stupid lady, her voice is shaking as she tries to talk to me.

"Your mentor is calling in you and Michael for a talk before we arrive. He wants to know your strategies for the next days"

I sigh, still keeping my angry glare frozen to her eyes, and finally after torturing her for a while, I answer:

"Tell him I will be there when I feel like it"

"But…."

"When I feel like it! I already have my plans for the next days, so it`s not a rush"

"Ok…."

She answers, like a little child who had been told by her parents to never speak a bad word again. Her eyes glued to the floor and eyes shiny. Then she leaves.

People are afraid of me, and I enjoy it. It will probably be my greatest strength in the games, people will run away when I get to close.

I am a gladiator, a ghost, their worst nightmare.

And therefore I will win!


	10. District 7

District 7

**Ellink "Likn" Lamont**

My back is sweat, but I keep on trying. Nothing is stopping me now, I need to show what I`m made of. My fingers clutch the ax that I have been given, and they feel stiff, like they won`t loose the grip of what they are holding. I make measurments to my target, it has no idea what is coming for it. Slowly I bring the deadly weapon behing my head and make a final calculation before I throw.

The ax flies trough the room, several feet, and it hits the wall. Dissapointement overwhelms me. It was close tough, but I have never been much of a thrower realy, more like a….. chopper.

_"That`s good enough"_

My mentor, Zus, says as he gently pats my back. We have been training all day, getting a head start on the days that are to come. For an hour and a half now I have been showing of my skills to Zus, and trying to improve while he showed me how to do stuff. My district partner Kayton has only been staring blankly at us while waiting for her turn. Not once has she gone outside or asked to try, she`s a very patient person.

_"You did your best Link, and I can see that you are tired. Give your hands a rest and we can do more when we get to the Capital. Now I`m going to take care of miss Roys. You are welcome to stay if you`d like to. There are some weaponds over there that you can have a look at, and there are some books about edible plants. Just do what you got to do"_

I do as he says and sitt down at the floor by a case filled with old paperbacks. One of them is covered with pictures of green leafs and berries and has the title "Plants with healing qualities". It seems good enough, and I sit down reading. While skimming trough a paragraph about the nightlock I fix my horned glasses and look up at Kayton.

Zus is testing her strength by giving her some weights, which she handle with ease, so he keeps giving her a heavier load until her arms start shaking and she needs to stop. I don`t blame her, that`s far more than I can lift, and she is very short too, not to mention skinny.

I haven`t seen Kayton much around at school before. Never two days in a row, even tough we are in the same class. She seems to be gone a lot. I heard rumors about her working at a casino, taking bets and getting roaring drunk every night. I don`t know if I believe that.

I keep running my fingers over my blond hair and down to my glasses to fix them a million times. It`s just a bad habit that I tend to do when I`m bored. There isn`t a lot to do here except for reading books and listening to Zus. We have still not arrived the capital, and I wish time would move faster. Most of all, I wish I was at home making music with my best friend Rhett and pulling pranks at the cocky kids at my school without them realizing. Even my work which was climbing up tall trees and shaving of the top branches seems like a million years ago.

I ruffle my hair. God I hate it! It keeps growing sideways for some stupid reason. Some guys call me fag because it looks styled, and I am to be honest a very stylish person! I stand up, and walk towards a wall with many weaponds, and start studying them.

**Kayton Liala Roys (14)**

I have been lifting weights, running in circles and throwing axes for quite some time now, but I am still not finished. According to my mentor I need to think of any advantage I may have and show him. The trouth is, I am blank of ideas right now. I retie my red, untamable hair in its usual messy bun and try to think.

_"I got a strong stomach"_

I joke. But my mentor doesn`t get it. Of course, he has never been to the casino where I work.

_"Come on. You volunteered! And you seriously tough you could win by having these skills. How about like Link? You could try climbing!"_

He`s got a point. Not about the climbing, but me volunteering. But my intentions were never to win, only to escape from district 7 and my current life. I had nothing to live for over there, the scars on my back are the perfect proof of that. Most people hated me, they gave me mean looks because they knew I was a thief and a young drinker. I wouldn`t call myself an alcoholic, but most kids don`t drink like me. If I win tough, my life will get better. I will escape from the mother I always hated, the casino that gives me nothing back but vivid memories and I will never ever have to steal again. Perhaps I could earn some respect from other people than just my half-brother.

_"Are you listening to me Kayton?"_

My mentor has bent forward to look me directly into my unemotional, brown eyes.

_"Yeah! Sorry, I was just thinking!"_

I say out too loud, while laughing. I walk toward the ropes hanging from the low roof. I climb to the top and down again. It`s not what I`m best at, but I`m not too bad either.

_"See! I`m practically a career!"_

This time my mentor smiles back at my sarcastic comment. I think he understands that I`m not in that category. I only have his attention before he peeks over at Ellink who seems to have tripped over a spear. I try to be nice, so I just shout after him.

_"You ok Link?"_

_"Yeah, I just tripped over this one. It`s not easy to balance in this train when it keeps stopping."_

I chuckle. Link is an ok dude. He`s quite cool too. Compared to my drinking skills, his talents might actually give positive comments. Even though I know he gets into trouble a lot for singing illegally at the town square, he is never punished as bad as I was. He`s got something to go back to.

I`m about to try climbing again, but my attention is drawn back at Link. I keep my hand limply at the rope, but letting go of it as I see what he is doing.

**Whack!**

_"Wow! A whip. Neat"_

He says, and swings the torture weapon behind his head once more before it lashes into the ground and makes the horrible nice again.

My hands turn sweaty, my breathing becomes heavy. I turn away from the two guys to avoid their asking looks. I bring my hands over my head, over my eys, over my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

The surroundings just seem to blend into one big messy image. The red walls turn into blood, the chair becomes a crippled girl, half naked on the town square, with open scars on her back. But the Whip Link is holding remains.

Flashback, they are coming back for me.

Whack!

"Oh dear god stop!"

Whack!

"It hurts, please stop!"

Whack!

"Mother, why don`t you say anything? Please make them stop!"

_"Kayton, you there?"_

I gulp air. Three heavy breats, and I am back to normal. I look back at Zus, and just nod my head in a fast, eager looking way which makes me look like a puppet being shaken up and down. I take two clumsy steps forward before my feet regain proper balance.

_"Yeah! I`m here. Riiiight here…"_


	11. District 8

**Please answer my question about me announcing the bloodbaths or not. If you don`t. I`ll just assume that you don`t care.**

**Another question, how many bloodbaths should there be? I`m not quite sure just yet, so you will take part in that. I was thinking about 5-9.**

**But enjoy this chapter as well, and please review**

**District 8 boy, Griffin Din, 16 years.**

My district partner Calcio and I sit in a long black car on our way from the train station to our final destination before our death sentence. The Capital.

So far I can`t see any people, they must be crowding up deeper into the city. I don`t really like the thought of people screaming at me while waiting eagerly to get into the arena so they can watch me die. Why should I show them any interests?

Calcio hasn`t said anything during the past few hours. On the train ride she answered our mentors questions with simple yes and no answers. And sometimes she would name her skills, but that would be it. I guess the two of us are quite alike. Introvert and shy.

She keeps biting her nail as if she`s nervous. I have to admit, I am myself. It shows too, because I run my hand over my brown hair. Still, it remains the same: dark, brown and spiky.

I have managed to realize that the games have become a reality to me. As we roll in our black van into the great Capital I understood that my life was officially over the moment the escort put his hand into the big bowl of names. She told me I looked like a strong, young man with a good chance of winning, but I don`t know any more. I am a good climber, but I don`t know if it will do.

I have to snort when I think of the irony. Many years ago I slipped on a branch and fell from a tree in our street and injured my leg badly just a few weeks before the reaping. Of course I was chosen. I was only twelve, and I would never have had a chance in the arena, I`d be dead within the first thirty seconds.

But unexpectedly, my brother volunteered for me. He was much stronger than me, and much older. He made it very far, and then he was shot in the forehead with an arrow.

We`ve been told that the chances of being reaped twice are microscopic, but still, here I am. And now my brother's sacrifice is going to waste. The tough makes me think that I can`t give up, even though I feel hollow and scared right now.

I miss home, I miss being alone under my special tree in the deep forest. Well, as deep as you can get until the fence stops you. And now I am here, despite the odds.

So far the odds have been against me, I just hope that they from now on will be with me.

**District 8 girl, Calcio Hessain 14 years**

I stop biting my nails as the sound of cheers and applause surrounds me. I look out the windows of our car and see people of all ages dressed in crazy looking clothes waving and screaming at our car. Through the front window I can see the car of the other districts. Some of the tributes are hanging out the windows waving and blowing kisses at the crowd. I will at least not die alone, I will have all of Panem looking. Some of them, cheering at me as I will take my final breath. If I die, they will be happy, because I am just another competitor.

I want to cry again, but I know it`s not going to help me right now. All I can do is do my best, and patently wait.

Neither Griffin or I have said a word since we both stepped on the stage in our district. I would have guessed that he was a little social, because he looks very good. Tanned skin, spiky hair, long slender muscles. But I guess that right now we feel pretty much the same.

The car pulls over to a great building. It is probably where we are going to spend the most likely to be our last days. The streets have been barricaded so people can`t come near us, but I can still feel their presence.

None of us move. We just sit quite for some time. To be honest, I just didn`t know what to do. I was expecting someone to come and open the door for us. After a few seconds that feel like hours I build up the courage to ask Griffin about what he thinks will happened next.

"I don`t know. Perhaps we should go outside?"

He says quietly.

I shrug. Still not looking at him, but my worn out shoes. My nails are so short now that I can taste flesh as I bite them. It`s a very bad habit I just can`t get rid of.

Time passes. Seconds, and minutes. At last our escort opens the door. He looks very odd. Big and dark green. Like a tree.

"Come on you two! It`s no time to be staying here!"

I can`t feel my legs. My whole body has frozen.

_Is this how death is supposed to feel?_

I shake my head, knowing I am overreacting. I am still alive. I have a pulse, which is beating as fast as it ever has done. And I can smell, feel and think.

Feel. There is something in my hand. Something holding onto it. I peek over, and I can see Griffins hand carefully squeezing mine. The one that is not being nail molested by my teeth.

I blush. Mostly because I`m not sure if I reached out for his hand in sheer loneliness, needing sympathy from someone in the same mess. Perhaps he reached for mine wanting the same thing? Maybe our hands found each other, as if they knew what we needed now. Comfort.

I don`t know. But somehow we both walk out of the car, and into the building. None of us saying a word, none of us letting go. We were just two very lonely people sticking together in the worst case scenario.

_I`ve always wanted to be alone. Preferring things that way. But now, I don`t want to feel abandoned again._

**Ok, so this was a little lame. I figured that the two people from district 8 were quite alike. So it felt natural that they supported each other. I don't think they will have a romance. But more or less a close friendship.**

**Remember to answer about the bloodbaths **


	12. District 9

**Remember to answer about the bloodbaths!**

**And, when the district 12 chapter is up I will ask you to pm me about alliances if you wish one I don`t feel like making them.**

**At this chapter I made a big dinner with all the tributes. I don`t remember if there originally was one in the book. But I tough it could be interesting.**

**And one more thing. I didn`t notice that I wrote tough instead of thought. He he. My writing program isn`t 100% reliable, but I`ll keep it in mind **

**District 9 girl, Meridia Fletcher 12 years**

I enter the great dining hall where all the other tributes have gathered. This is our first day in the Capital, and people are still adjusting to it.

My stylist has dressed me up in a big, pink, stupid dress that makes me look eight years old, and not twelve. I`m already small, jeesh, they could at least have put on a little eyeliner. But he kept repeating that he adored my face, and didn`t want to ruin it.

"But sugar, you have such an expressional face. It would be a shame to destroy it. I just love it so much. But I will do something special at the interviews."

I kept debating, but it was like he didn`t hear my opinions. I was just another soon to be dead kid.

My district partner is dressed in a pink tuxedo matching my ballerina looking skirt. Ruffles and roses decorate the edges of his collar, and I can see a hint of gold eyeliner on his eyes. I bet we are the most stupid looking people in this hall.

"I hate our stylists!"

I spit out, startling Jerick. At first he looks at me, but the same way as everyone else. As if I was a stupid kid. Like: I`m not your mommy, go away.  
To make him understand I was talking about our clothes I pick one of the very sparkling diamond bracelets of my arm and shake it like a baby toy in front of our faces.

"This is supposed to make us look good? I feel like a doll, or a crow's nest."

Jerick shrugs. Not seeming to care.

"Perhaps this is their kind of fashion. As we walk into that room the escorts and highly respectable people that are there to meet us will catch interest in us, and think about sponsoring us? You know, there might have been a thougth behind all this."

I lower my hand with the bracelet, and put it back on. My lips curl back and I squint my eyes. Stupid albino kid.

"Or perhaps they thought they`d have some fun before we die"

Jerick doesn`t answer, because the moment I shut my mouth, the door opens and we are exposed to all the people in the great big room. Long tables are set with a hundred dishes I have never seen before. People gather around the hot dishes filling up their plates.

_How can they eat so much?_

I look around for people from other districts, but they are hard to make out in the crowd of people. Everyone wears flashy dresses, so I don`t feel like I stand out to much longer. At least my hair isn`t pink. I got to keep it normal black, and they didn`t dye my chocolate brown skin to some freakish color either.

An avox pass me with a tray of yellow and orange drinks in cocktail glasses. I shake my head. I don`t turn to alcohol.

As I do, the district seven girl steps in front of me. She grabs two glasses, and scoots away into the crowd until she sits down alone by an empty table. In one sip she empties the first glass, making a grimace, and turns to stare blankly into the crowd.

I wish I could find the careers. I have a few words I`d like to say, a few opinions to share. But as I see them I drop it. I don`t really want to get in a fight with them before the games have begun.

"Hi"

I jump, because I didn`t notice the person standing behind me. I didn`t recognize her at first, but then I see that it is the district twelve girl. I don`t remember her name, but she seems safe enough.

"Hi"

I just answer. She doesn`t say more, only stands staring blankly into the crowd of people in silly costumes.

My world has fallen apart, and I want to scream about it, shout, and curse the people from the capitol. Still, I am holding back, tonight don`t seem appropriate.

I stand beside the other twelve year old, who`s name I later learned was Rayshell, the rest of the night before we were allowed to leave. A few people tried to talk to me, but they didn`t seem to show much of an interest in a small girl like me. And in the end they stopped coming to me at all after I started fighting with a mustard yellow lady who was congratulating me.

I`ve been in so many fights before, but only verbal. This one is physical, and I wonder if I will make it.

**District 9 boy, Jerick Orhn, 14 years**

I manage to get away from Meridia before she starts yet another argument. I would never have thought a person could find so many things to argue about, even before stepping into the games.

I walk down the dining hall, not minding the people in front of me. My shoulders were hunched, head down, while I hoped no one would notice me. It paid out as I bumped into a freakishly tall lady with red hair.

"Sorry"

I murmer, and I am about to walk before she squeals.

"Stop! You are one of those tribute kids! Aren`t you?"

Tribute kids? The woman should have a vocabulary to be able to put words on who and what we are. I feel like a thing, or a dog, like those pit bulls the older guys put bets on and makes them fight for death in our district.

"Yes. My name is Jerick. I`m from district 9"

I say with a certain hint of irritation in my voice, but she doesn`t seem to care. The lady bends her giraffe body towards me, and stares directly into my face.

"Your stylist must be very talented kid. I have been trying to dye my skin as white as yours for years, but they never got it that white. You almost look like a real albino."

I feel an urge to laugh. This woman has absolutely no clue about what she is talking about. The situation is kind of okward, and I feel like perhaps I should get mad. But maybe this is my chance to gain sponsors.

"Well, it happens that I am a real life albino, miss. Or who am I kidding, you must be a mrs!"

She laughs. Obviously flattered by my comment, and she keeps her eyes locked on my all white skin.

"Thank you young lad. But no, I am not married yet."

"Well, perhaps a young victor will come to take your hand one day?"

Usually I can`t talk to anyone. And not like this! I have never talked to girls before, no one but my mother, but this was so easy, because this was all an act. I smiled brighter now, my mood was coming back. Meridia hadn`t sucked all hope out of me yet. The capitol woman seemed to find me very charming, and her eyes were glistening from talking to me.

She turned her long neck around, and reached out a bony hand to tap another strange man on the shoulder. He turned around, not looking like he was enjoying himself, but as he saw me his face lit up.

"Gergory, this is Jerick. The boy from district nine. He is absolutely adorable; you have to talk to him!"

The rest of the evening I talked to different people from the capitol, still putting my act on. I had have thought I could do such a thing. Me! Insecure little me.

I understood now. The albinism always stopped me from being with other kids, being who I wanted to be. I always felt like I wasn`t good enough because I was different, but here….. I blend right in. Therefore they like me, different is absolutely modern and a good thing here. And it scares me, as if I was never meant to be anywhere else.


End file.
